Wireless Watch

Published 7th February 2018

FCC eyes framework to open spectrum above 95 GHz for wireless comms

The spectrum famine will ease in the 5G era, because of the increasingly practical ways to harness higher frequencies, but it really could end if the industry manages to deploy commercial services and usable devices above 100 GHz. Most of the R&D in this area has taken place in Asia (much of it, as far as cellular goes, by Samsung), but the US regulator wants to take a lead in kicking off the regulatory discussion. On February 22, the FCC has an item on the agenda of its open meeting, to consider how to open up spectrum above 95 GHz, as part of its ongoing Spectrum Horizons initiative to extend the airwaves available and usable for various commercial services including…